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we've been through this some time ago in a discussion abouy aventurine glass. The opal layer used by the Chinese is very light and watery, while opal layers from other glass makers are much stronger. Also the prime colours used in Chinese glass are quite harsh and industrial.

I would not have used the word "reproduction" here. I have yet to see a juxtaposition of "the original victorian article" and "the Chinese reproduction". It sort of infers that all the Chinese can do is imitate - which is not the case. Contemporary Chinese glass production is of much better quality and finish than the produce of 15, 20 years ago.

These vases shown in the advertisement were (or: are) made in huge quantities and turn up in all corners of the globe.

The fact that this info is made available to collectors means you can identify these vases for what they are.

Ivo, thanks for the info. I think I can tell the Victorian ones from the Chinese now but as many of these are offered for sale as Murano (and the two my mother has were actually bought in Murano in the 60's) I think the question really should be, were these style vases ever made in Murano or in Italy, or were all those that we are seeing as Murano actually all made in China?

Anne and Ivo, Thanks so much for your help in this but alas, I am where I began. I have a vase similar to the one on the web page posted about the chinese vase but it has many differences. The one I have is similar to the one pictured first on the page but with these differences

The handles on the one pictured appear to be very small in comparison to the rest of the vase, The one I have the handles are twice the lenghth of these and more pronounced.In the picture: Off the right side of the blossom appears to be a stem shooting toward the top of the vase directly toward the handle. The one that I have is less pronounced and curving around the bulb portion of the vase falling below the handle almost an inch.The bulb portion of the vase I have is much larger as well also the fluting at the top of mine is less pronounced and not as curvy than the one pictured.